


When Atlas Acts A Man

by ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Arum likes the Strong Boy, Damien scoops up the lizzer, Lizard Kissin' Tuesday (Penumbra Podcast), Multi, Rilla is amused, Second Citadel (Penumbra Podcast)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-11 03:07:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20146582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand/pseuds/ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand
Summary: Damien is a Knight and chivalry's not dead.





	When Atlas Acts A Man

**Author's Note:**

> title from "Be" by Hozier

Damien and Arum wander through the swamp, trailing after Rilla as she gathers herbs and studies the unfamiliar plants that are native to this magical land. They walk in companionable silence, content to observe their herbalist as she works. When they come up to a boggier, muddier part of the swamp, Damien halts, looking at Arum’s cape trailing over the ground behind him. 

“Lord Arum! Your cape!” Damien cries, and, because he his a Knight and very chivalrous, he solves the problem the obvious way. He scoops Arum up into his arms bridal-style and walks across the mud puddle. When he gets to the other side, he actually looks down at Arum, and then he realizes what he’s just done. 

Arum is staring up at him, arms reflexively wrapped around Damien’s neck. There are several emotions passing over Arum’s face that Damien can read. Indignation, embarrassment, shock. Something else he can’t quite read. There is a single beat of silent awe as their eyes meet, and then Arum blinks like he’s coming out of a trance, “I - you - what -  _ Honeysuckle _ ! Tktktktktktk.” 

And then the moment is broken, and Damien begins to splutter incoherently as Arum continues to stare at him. Rilla, who has looked up at the sound of Arum’s voice, is snorting at the spectacle of Arum - who is comically taller than Damien - bundled up into the little knight’s arms. 

Now aware of his audience, Damien blushes furiously. “Lord Arum, I must apologize profusely I’m not sure what came over me, only I saw your cape and couldn’t bear to see it dragged through the mud like some common cloth, for I know it is precious to you and I just - didn’t think. Oh, how undignified you must feel to be - scooped up like some  _ damsel. _ I feel utterly mortified -”

He cuts off as he looks up to Arum, who is. Still tucked into his chest, staring at him. Now, though, his face is no longer pinched in annoyance and confusion. Now his face has adopted an almost absurd expression of awe. Damien has never been stared at with such an intensity. Arum finally looks away, a rattle vibrating through his chest, and he murmurs, “Perhaps, Honeysuckle, you should put me  _ down _ .”

Damien swallows, still rendered speechless by the lizard’s gaze, and lowers Arum to the ground. Rilla reaches their side, and she gives Arum a smug, knowing look. “I told you he was strong.” 

Arum shakes his head and gives her a withering look. “Yes, Amaryllis, I suppose you did, tktktktktktk.”

Damien takes a shaky breath as Arum turns back to him and mutters in voice that sounds almost breathless, “You are… very strong, Honeysuckle.”

He wraps his arms around Damien and nuzzles into his neck, letting his tongue run over the hollow of his collar bone, and then follows his tongue with sharpened teeth scraping gently over the delicate skin. Damien sucks in a breath as Arum licks up his neck to his ear, and whispers, voice teasing, “I’m surprised you didn’t sweep me off my feet sooner, little poet, considering how often you attempt to do so with words.”

“W- Well, my lily,” Damien breathes, “if I’d known it would’ve provoked such a - strong reaction, I certainly would have.” He chuckles breathlessly as Arum continues to nuzzle and lick his face and neck. “I take it you were not offended by my actions, then?”

Arum lifts his head to level Damien with an almost petulant look, making Damien chuckle and rise up onto tiptoes to press a kiss to the side of Arum’s mouth. Rilla rolls her eyes at her ridiculous boys and returns to her work, huffing a laugh and muttering something about leaving them to their moment. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm @shorter-than-her-tbr-pile on tumblr!


End file.
